Ten charged with dealing heroin and cocaine in Pike County

January 14, 2014 —

Seven suspected drug dealers were arrested in Pike County today as part of an investigation by the Pike County District Attorney’s Office into the selling of heroin and cocaine in Pike County. Three additional arrests are expected.

District Attorney Raymond Tonkin said the investigation focused on drug dealing in Delaware Township and Dingman Township, but also included drug purchases in Matamoras Borough.

The investigation began three months ago when detectives from the Pike County District Attorney’s Office learned that there was a group of loosely knit individuals selling heroin and cocaine in the Delaware Township area. Through the use of informants and undercover officers, investigators made a total of 16 purchases of heroin and 5 purchases of cocaine. In all, investigators purchased approximately 535 bags of heroin and 22.8 grams of cocaine. The purchases ranged from between $40 and $840.

After the Pike County Detectives obtained arrest warrants for a total of ten individuals, approximately 30 law enforcement agents from the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Eastern Pike Regional Police, Milford Police Department, Shohola Police Department, the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office and the Pike County Probation Department set out early this morning to serve arrest warrants on those individuals charged with drug trafficking.

A total of 7 were arrested with three persons still being sought. An 11th person was charged with hindering the arrest of two individuals.

According to the criminal complaint charging Saeed Musah, age 21, he sold cocaine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions. On November 15, 2013, Musah sold 3 grams of suspected cocaine to a confidential informant for $300. Again on November 27, 2013, Musah sold 7 grams of suspected cocaine to a confidential informant for $740. On the final occasion on December 4, 2013, Musah sold 10.5 grams of suspected cocaine for $840 to a confidential informant.

According to a criminal complaint, Brad Middaugh, age 19, sold heroin to a confidential informant on four occasions between October and November 2013. The first delivery occurred on October 4, 2013, where according to the complaint, Middaugh sold 20 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $240. The second purchase occurred on October 15, 2013 in Delaware Township, where Middaugh sold 30 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $360. The third purchase occurred on October 22, 2013, where Middaugh again sold 30 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $360. On the last incident on November 21, 2013, Middaugh sold 21 packets of suspected heroin for $210 to a confidential informant.

John Joray, age 25, and Matthew Maloney, age 25, are accused of selling heroin to a confidential informant on three separate occasions. According to a criminal complaint on October 15, 2013, Joray sold 20 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $240. On November 19, 2013, according to the complaint, the confidential informant met with Joray and proceeded to a separate location to meet with Maloney.

There Maloney was handed $600 in exchange for 50 bags of heroin. On November 25, 2013, the confidential informant met with Joray, whose 1 1/2 year old son was in the back seat of his car, where he prompted his son to say racist and derogatory terms. Joray and the confidential informant met with Maloney where he delivered 22 packets of suspected heroin for $ 300. On a third occasion on December 2, 2013, the confidential informant met with Joray and then traveled to Maloney's residence in Dingman Township. There Maloney sold 30 bags of suspected heroin for $600. On November 21, 2013, Joray met with a confidential informant and took him to meet with another person where Joray set up a delivery of 8 packets of suspected heroin for $200. In a separate drug purchase on December 9, 2013, Joray set up a buy with an unknown male for 50 bags of suspect heroin of $600. When detectives went to test the suspected heroin, they noticed most of the bags were empty.

According to a criminal complaint charging Patrick Sullivan, age 21, on October 4, 2013, Sullivan sold 48 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $460. In the second delivery, Sullivan delivered 50 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $600 on November 1, 2013. On the last delivery, on November 7, 2013 Sullivan delivered 45 packets of suspected heroin to a confidential informant for $600.

According to a criminal complaint charging Robert Koetzle, age 18, on December 5, 2013, Detectives and a confidential informant went to purchase 50 packets of suspected heroin from Patrick Sullivan and Koetzle for $600. The confidential informant told detectives he had just received a call from Jory, telling the informant that Koetzle planned to rip him off by taking the money and running out a back window into a car that would be waiting. While explaining what was happening, the confidential informant received a call from another person, wondering where they were because Koetzle had called him. The confidential informant relayed the information he had got from Joray and the other person offered to accompany the informant. Koetzle then called the informant where he again expressed his concerns.
Koetzle assured the informant he had his 50 packets, and was telling other people he was out. The confidential informant met with Koetzle and another person where Koetzle sold 30 bags of heroin for $300.

A criminal complaint charging George Earle, IV, age 24. Earle is accused of meeting with a confidential informant between December 2013 and January 2014 to deliver heroin and crack. On December 20, 2013, Earle, IV, met with a confidential informant and delivered 50 bags of heroin and 1.4 grams of crack cocaine for $ 800. The second delivery occurred on December 30, 2013, where Earle, IV, met with a confidential informant and sold 50 bags of heroin and .9 grams of crack for $600. On the third delivery, Earle, IV, delivered 11 bags of heroin to a confidential informant for $140 on January 6, 2014. On the last occasion, on January 9, 2014, Earle, and Koetzle met with a confidential informant and delivered 20 packets of heroin for $240.

According to a criminal complaint charging Emmett Pierson, age 62, law enforcement officers arrived at Pierson’s residence to serve arrest warrants on Robert Koetzle and George Earle, IV, Pierson claimed he didn’t know who Koetzle and Earle, IV were and that he was only watching the house. Pierson was holding a dog that was believed to be dangerous, and was asked to put the dog away. While following Pierson into the residence, officers heard the toilet flushing and George Earle, IV was observed flushing items believed to be controlled substances. Koetzle was then located in a rear bathroom flushing items believed to be controlled substances down the toilet. It was later discovered the Koetzle rents a room from Pierson. Delivery of a controlled substance is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Criminal use of a communication facility is a felony of the 3rd degree punishable by up to 7 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

District Attorney Tonkin said “the investigation and arrest will certainly curtail heroin and cocaine dealing in the Delaware/Dingman area and make the community a safer place. We also hope to solve additional crimes through these arrests, as many times drugs are associated with other criminal activity."
Tonkin thanked all the agencies who participated in the investigation and arrests, saying, "today citizens can feel proud of law enforcement in making our community safer.”

Anyone with information on drug trafficking in Pike County can call the District Attorney’s Office at 570/296-3482 and ask for the Detective Bureau. All calls will be kept confidential.